Media Report Cards

Grading Accuracy in News Coverage of Israel and Palestine

Beginning in 2003, If Americans Knew began issuing report cards to newspapers across the country on their coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Given that the media have a desire and a responsibility to cover this topic accurately, we provide these reports in the hope that our analyses can assist them in this goal.

In addition, we are making these reports public, as a way to help readers evaluate for themselves the reliability of their sources of information on this issue.

Deadly Distortion: AP Coverage of Israeli and Palestinian Deaths
Jan. 1, 2004 - Dec. 31, 2004If Americans Knew Report Card - A new study reveals that Associated Press Newswire coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict significantly distorts reality, essentially over-reporting the number of Israelis killed in the conflict and underreporting the number of Palestinians killed. The study found that AP reported on Israeli children’s deaths more often than the deaths occurred, but failed to cover 85 percent of Palestinian children killed. Read Full Report | FAQ

AUPHR: Excluded Voices: Palestine/Israel in the Opinion Pages of the Oregonian Newspaper
Jun. 1, 2004 - May 31, 2005AUPHR & PMWATCH - Rather than make the newspaper a forum where the Israeli-Palestinian conflict might be debated and discussed, little in the Opinion Pages has deviated from the official Israeli government positions. This is reflected in what is or is not discussed, the timing of the issues presented in the editorials and commentaries, and how those issues are framed. more

Off the Charts: Report on ABC, CBS, and NBC’s Israel/Palestine Coverage
Sep. 29, 2000 - Sep. 28, 2001
Jan. 1, 2004 - Dec. 31, 2004Our analysis reveals troubling patterns of omission and disparities in emphasis that, we feel, profoundly hamper the ability of viewers to understand this conflict. In the first year of the current uprising, when there were four times more Palestinians being killed than Israelis, two out of three networks reported on more Israeli deaths than Palestinian deaths. Reporting on children’s deaths was even more flawed. more

Off the Charts: Report on New York Times Israel/Palestine Coverage
Sep. 29, 2000 - Sep. 28, 2001
Jan. 1, 2004 - Dec. 31, 2004In the first study period The New York Times reported Israeli deaths at a rate 2.8 times higher than Palestinian deaths, and in 2004 this rate increased by almost 30%, to 3.6, widening still further the disparity in coverage. The Times’ coverage of children’s deaths was even more skewed. In the first year of the current uprising, Israeli children’s deaths were reported at 6.8 times the rate of Palestinian children’s deaths. In 2004 this differential also increased, with deaths of Israeli children covered at a rate 7.3 times greater than the deaths of Palestinian children. more

AUPHR: Oregonian Biases Covering the Palestine / Israel conflict
May 1, 2004 - Oct. 30, 2004In the first study period The New York Times reported Israeli deaths at a rate 2.8 times higher than Palestinian deaths, and in 2004 this rate increased by almost 30%, to 3.6, widening still further the disparity in coverage. The Times’ coverage of children’s deaths was even more skewed. In the first year of the current uprising, Israeli children’s deaths were reported at 6.8 times the rate of Palestinian children’s deaths. In 2004 this differential also increased, with deaths of Israeli children covered at a rate 7.3 times greater than the deaths of Palestinian children. more